Fantasy sports: Injuries around NFL send owners scrambling for help

Saturday

Oct 26, 2013 at 11:58 PMOct 27, 2013 at 1:28 AM

Josh Bousquet Fantasy Sports

It started with Julio Jones, and then the injury bug actually turned out to be contagious.

Not only is the NFL's current malady catchy, it is also very dangerous as it turns out it can drive teams to reach out to Brett Favre. There was a time when I thought I would never have to type that name again, but no, Sam Bradford goes down with a torn ACL, his season ends, the Rams' brass panics, and they call Grampa to try to make it all better.

Thankfully, Gramps is finally achieving some perspective in his old age and told the young'uns to figure it out for themselves.

Now those youngsters are starting Kellen Clemens and brought in Brady Quinn as a backup, so they do not have all the answers, but many times we learn from our mistakes.

Bradford was just turning out to be a worthy fantasy start, too. He had thrown 14 touchdown passes this season, tying for fifth in the league with Drew Brees. It is tough to imagine Clemens living up to that level, but he could serve as a bye-week replacement if you really need one. Just probably not this week when he gets an initial baptism by fire against the Seattle.

Some may be looking for more than a one-week loan at quarterback, though. That means you owners of Jay Cutler, the Bears quarterback who is healing from a torn groin (cringe). You may want to look directly to Chicago backup Josh McCown, who does at least have a security blanket in the form of Brandon Marshall.

Not that this pleases Marshall owners, who see his value dwindle with a lesser arm feeding him the ball. Similarly, those waiting for Rams rookie Tavon Austin to live up to his high first-round NFL Draft pick status should put their celebration on ice until 2014.

That is still a better wide receiver situation than others are dealing with, though, and these others are Reggie Wayne owners.

The Colts receiver had his fantasy value rejuvenated last season with the arrival of quarterback Andrew Luck, and Wayne was on pace for another solid season this year that projected to 87 receptions, 1,150 yards and 5 touchdowns. But then he also tore an ACL.

Anyone looking to fill a wide receiver slot should look back to the Jones' situation and the opportunity it afforded Harry Douglas.

In the Falcons' first game without Jones (and without Roddy White, too, so the numbers are a bit skewed), Douglas caught all seven passes sent his way for 149 yards and a touchdown. He is owned in just over half of ESPN fantasy leagues, but one more solid outing would send that near full ownership, so the time to jump is now.

Green Bay had the most frightening initiation into the injury club when the Packers started by wondering whether tight end Jermichael Finley would walk, never mind play, again. Finley's overall prognosis looks good, but a bruised spinal cord promises a lengthy break before he returns to the field.

Poised to step in to the Packers' offense is Andrew Quarless, but he has only four catches this season and 28 for his career. One might want to wait on committing even a bench spot to that.

A better option to fill a tight end spot is Washington's Jordan Reed. He has 25 catches in five games this season, setting a high of nine catches on nine targets last week. He is averaging 11.5 yards per catch and has averaged more than 14 yards per catch each of the last two games. The rookie seems to be gaining chemistry with quarterback Robert Griffin III, being targeted 21 times total over the last three games. And at tight end, just catching passes can be enough to gain value.

Don't think that running backs have been immune from this injury outbreak, either.

The constant struggle that has been this season for C.J. Spiller's owners continues as an ankle injury has his status up in the air. Spiller wants to play, coach Doug Marrone doesn't seem so sure he is ready.

This would look to be a continued boon to Fred Jackson owners, but he is battling a knee injury that might make people nervous with all the ACL issues going around. Still, Jackson is unexpectedly ruling the Bills' backfield, so count having him as a victory already (see chart).

I mean, you could be an owner of Doug Martin instead, whose torn labrum may or may not keep him out for the rest of the season.

Martin wasn't living up to his preseason billing, either, but was still serviceable with 456 rushing yards, even if only one touchdown.

That looks much better than what the Bucs dealt with in Thursday's night loss to the Panthers, however, when Mike James was their leading rusher with 39 yards.

We seem to be on a trajectory where whoever wins their leagues is the one who avoid injuries. May you remain in good health this week.